As autumn approaches, it’s a good time to prepare your IT infrastructure for the months ahead. The weather changes, business activity often increases, and there are specific IT tasks that make sense to tackle now before things get busy.
We’ve helped businesses prepare for autumn and winter, and there are some common tasks that always come up. Things that are easier to do now, before the holiday rush or winter weather causes problems. Here’s what to focus on.
Review and Update Your Backup Strategy
Before things get busy, make sure your backups are working. Test your backup system. Can you actually restore files? How long does it take? What happens if you need to restore everything?
We’ve seen businesses discover their backups weren’t working only when they needed them. Don’t wait for a crisis. Test your backups now, and fix any problems you find.
Also, consider whether your backup strategy is still appropriate. Has your data grown? Do you need more storage? Are there new systems or files that need backing up? Review your backup needs and adjust if necessary.
And think about off-site backups. If something happens to your office (fire, flood, theft), on-site backups might be lost too. Cloud backups or off-site storage protect against this. Make sure you have both on-site and off-site backups.
Prepare for Increased Business Activity
Many businesses see increased activity in autumn and winter. Holiday shopping, end-of-year deadlines, seasonal business. This puts more strain on IT systems.
Review your internet connection. Will it handle increased traffic? If you’re expecting more online orders, more video calls, more cloud usage, make sure your bandwidth is sufficient. It’s easier to upgrade now than during a busy period.
Check your server capacity. If you have on-premises servers, do they have enough resources for increased load? Monitor CPU, memory, and storage usage. If you’re approaching limits, plan upgrades now.
For cloud services, review your subscriptions. Do you have enough licenses? Enough storage? Enough bandwidth? Many cloud services can scale automatically, but some require manual upgrades. Check your limits and upgrade if needed.
Address Weather-Related Risks
Winter weather can cause power outages, internet disruptions, and physical damage. Prepare for these risks.
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) protect equipment from power surges and provide backup power during outages. Make sure critical equipment (servers, network equipment, workstations) is connected to UPS devices. Test them to ensure they work.
If you have on-premises servers, consider what happens during extended power outages. Do you have backup power? Can you shut down gracefully? Plan for scenarios where power might be out for hours or days.
Internet connections can be disrupted by weather. Have a backup internet connection if possible. Mobile hotspots can provide temporary connectivity. Make sure you can access critical systems even if your primary internet is down.
Also, think about remote access. If weather prevents people from getting to the office, can they work from home? Make sure remote access is set up and tested. VPN connections, cloud services, remote desktop access. Test these now, not when you need them.
Update Security Measures
Autumn is a good time to review and update security. Cyberattacks often increase during busy periods, when businesses are distracted and less likely to notice suspicious activity.
Review user access. Who has access to what? Remove access for people who no longer need it (especially former employees). Limit access to only what’s necessary. This reduces risk if credentials are compromised.
Update security software. Make sure antivirus, firewalls, and other security tools are current. Check for security updates and patches. Outdated security software is a major risk.
Review security policies. Are employees following security best practices? Do they need refresher training? Consider security awareness training before the busy season.
Also, review your incident response plan. If something goes wrong, what do you do? Who do you contact? How do you recover? Having a plan makes incidents less chaotic and faster to resolve.
Plan for Equipment Replacement
If you have equipment that’s getting old or unreliable, consider replacing it now rather than during a busy period. Old computers, failing hard drives, outdated network equipment. These are easier to replace when things are quiet.
Create a replacement schedule. What equipment needs replacing? When? How much will it cost? Plan purchases so you’re not hit with unexpected expenses during busy periods.
Also, consider whether you need additional equipment for increased activity. More computers for new staff? Additional network capacity? Plan these purchases now.
Review and optimise Cloud Services
If you use cloud services, autumn is a good time to review them. Are you using what you’re paying for? Are there unused subscriptions? Can you optimise costs?
Many businesses accumulate cloud subscriptions over time. They sign up for services, use them for a while, then stop using them but forget to cancel. Review all your subscriptions and cancel what you don’t use.
Also, check if you’re on the right plans. Many cloud services have multiple tiers. You might be paying for features you don’t need, or you might need to upgrade to a plan with more features. Review your usage and adjust plans accordingly.
And consolidate where possible. If you’re using multiple services that do the same thing, consider consolidating. This simplifies management and can save money.
Test Disaster Recovery Plans
If something goes wrong, can you recover? Test your disaster recovery plans. Simulate different scenarios: server failure, data loss, security incident, extended power outage.
Can you restore from backups? How long does it take? What’s the process? Document it, and make sure the right people know what to do.
Also, review your insurance. Does it cover IT equipment? Data loss? Business interruption? Make sure you’re adequately covered.
Prepare for Remote Work
If weather or other issues prevent people from getting to the office, can they work remotely? Make sure remote work infrastructure is ready.
Test VPN connections. Ensure employees have the equipment they need (laptops, headsets, etc.). Verify that cloud services are accessible. Make sure remote access policies are clear.
Also, consider whether you need to support more remote work. If business activity increases and office space is limited, remote work might be necessary. Prepare for this possibility.
Making It Work
Preparing for autumn and winter doesn’t have to be overwhelming, so focus on the most important tasks like backups, security, capacity planning, and disaster recovery.
Start early before things get busy, because it’s easier to address problems now than during a crisis, and don’t try to do everything at once. Prioritise what matters most for your business.
If you need help preparing your IT for the months ahead, get in touch. We’ve helped businesses prepare for busy seasons and weather-related challenges and can help you too.